Job Resources on the World Wide Web

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The Corinthian Volume 1 Article 6 1999 Job Resources on the World Wide Web Brad Jones Georgia College & State University Follow this and additional works at: http://kb.gcsu.

1 The Corinthian Volume 1 Article Job Resources on the World Wide Web Brad Jones Georgia College & State University Follow this and additional works at: Part of the Accounting Commons Recommended Citation Jones, Brad (1999) "Job Resources on the World Wide Web," The Corinthian: Vol. 1, Article 6. Available at: This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Knowledge Box. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Corinthian by an authorized editor of Knowledge Box.

2 Job Resources on the World Wide Web Brad Jones Faculty Sponsor: Jane Stockard '.J'he World Wide Web is an abundant source of job-related mformation. The Web helps users overcome many of the difficulties associated with more conventional methods of communication and allows employees, recruiters, and applicants to exchange information easily and quickly. The number of employment-related sites is growing, and many sites offer services that link applicants to position vacancies across the world. General employment advice and information can also be accessed online. Career sites offer advice on the job search process, networking, and many other job-related topics. Background The Web is a primary channel for employment information because it allows for efficient and effective communication. Information is delivered quickly among users, and many of the difficulties involved with other forms of communication (like different time zones and mail systems) are not experienced. Information gathering sessions are shortened, and individuals have greater access to resources (Laabs 22). Many companies and individuals recognize the advantages associated with using Web-based employment resources. These users can be classified into two main groups: job seekers and recruiters. Web Resources for Job Seekers The World Wide Web is an excellent tool for resourceful job seekers. Individuals can browse online job listings, develop and submit their resumes electronically, and prepare for interviews with assistance from employment-related Web sites. Additionally, 87

The Corinthian: The Journal of Student Research at GC&SU applicants can browse company and professional organization sites to find out more about specific industries and businesses.

3 The Corinthian: The Journal of Student Research at GC&SU applicants can browse company and professional organization sites to find out more about specific industries and businesses. Online Job Listings The most common type of career-related Web site is the online job listing. These listings are databases of jobs available around the globe. Most of these sites allow users to search the job openings by criteria, such as geographic region, title, or industry. The largest listings, known as Big Boards, include openings from a variety of companies. These sites are extremely comprehensive, offering an array of services and information. The three sites listed here are the largest of the Big Boards: Career Mosaic ( This site lists over 70,000 openings. It is one of the largest employment information sites on the Web (Greengard 74). The Monster Board ( This site lists over 50,000 openings. It contains links to information on career aids, strategy tips, and employer profiles by area of specialization. This site also allows users to establish profiles of their desired positions. As jobs fitting these descriptions are listed, messages are forwarded to the applicants alerting them to these new openings (Tapp 66).. On Line Career Center ( This site has been chosen as one of the top 7 career sites. It is a general recruiting site, attracting many leading employers from a multitude of industries (Greengard 74). Reviewing these sites is an effective way for users to acquaint themselves with the types of employment-related information available online. Some career placement specialists suggest that applicants also use industry or trade organization sites and company Web pages. While Big Board sites include openings from a wide array of fields, 88

Job Resources on the World Wide Web industry organization sites provide listings of jobs from specific fields. These sites often list some of the most desirable positions (Turek 394).

4 Job Resources on the World Wide Web industry organization sites provide listings of jobs from specific fields. These sites often list some of the most desirable positions (Turek 394). The Web page of a prospective employer is also an important resource. Many companies list position vacancies only on their company Web sites (Cafasso 115). These pages and industry-specific job listings can be located by using a common search engine or a listing of links to job-search sites. Examples include Yahoo's Business and Economy ( businessandeconomy). This site allows users to search by industry and sector. Weddle's Web Guide ( This site offers information on the 50 largest career sites. Noted information includes the number of jobs listed, the number of resumes posted, and the salary range for listed positions (Turek 393). Careers & Jobs ( This site offers a comprehensive list of links to job search sites, many of which are industry specific (Belfiglio 12). Resume Development and Posting Many Web sites are devoted to assisting individuals with developing and submitting resumes. Current technology allows resumes to be transferred electronically to resume banks and companies. The ability to design and transfer these electronic documents is increasingly important, and many Web sites can help users develop this skill (Curry I 00). Job applicants may be surprised to find that their current resumes may not be suitable for an electronic environment. Electronic resumes need to be submitted in ASCII format. This allows the resumes to be read by different word processing programs ("Launching" 30). Electronic resumes are likely to be scanned: therefore, applicants need to understand how keywords make their resumes more distinctive. 89

The Corinthian: The Journal of Student Research at GC&SU The following sites offer information on developing electronic resumes: Career Mosaic (www.careermosaic.com).

5 The Corinthian: The Journal of Student Research at GC&SU The following sites offer information on developing electronic resumes: Career Mosaic ( This site offers guidelines for ASCII documents. Riley Guide ( This site offers tips on traditional and electronic resume development ("Launching" 30). Resumix ( This site allows users to input personal information and have a resume created automatically ("Launching" 31 ). In addition to providing development assistance, these sites also contain links to pages where resumes can be posted. Applicants should consider posting resumes to industry bulletin boards and sending them directly to companies (Curry 101). Interview Preparation Information One of the most important steps in the application process is the job interview. Applicants need to have reasonable salary estimates for the positions they are seeking and an understanding of the company they are interviewing with. The World Wide Web provides job candidates with this information, as well as general suggestions on interviews (Laabs 22). Salary estimates are important to the job applicant. Individuals must have a reasonable expectation of the compensation they will receive in their respective fields. The following sites offer salary information for a number of fields and industries: Job Smart ( This site offers links to salary surveys on the Web. Information Week On-line's Career Area ( week.com). This site allows the user to compare salaries by region and experience (Turek 393). 90

Job Resources on the World Wide Web Another important aspect of preparing for the job interview is establishing an understanding of the company conducting the interview.

6 Job Resources on the World Wide Web Another important aspect of preparing for the job interview is establishing an understanding of the company conducting the interview. Company Web pages and corporate research sites are good sources of information. Most company Web pages display the company mission statement, history, organizational structure, and corporate culture. Research sites, such as Hoovers (www. hoovers.com), provide company profiles, information on company officers, and financial data (Martin 96). Web Resources for Recruiters Many companies have recognized the advantages of using the Web for recruiting purposes. A survey by Management Recruiters International revealed that 37% of the companies polled currently use the Web for recruiting (Martin 94). These companies do so to enhance their traditional methods of locating employees. Corporate Web sites and online job banks are supplementing newspaper and professional journal advertisements (Cafasso 114). Companies are utilizing online listings, job fairs, and several unique recruiting services to find new employees. Online Job Listings Many companies have recognized the economic efficiency of online job listings. For around $4,000 annually, companies can post each of their job vacancies to one of the online job-search sites, such as the Monster Board. In contrast, a company can spend several times this amount to run an ad for a single opening in a metropolitan newspaper (Cafasso 114 ). Companies realize that Web-based listings have a larger audience than conventional print advertisements and are less expensive. Web-based recruiting costs around $377 per hire, while conventional methods average around $3295 per hire (Cole Gomolski 20). Online Job Fairs Online job fairs are popular methods of recruitment. Many of the large career sites, such as the Big Board sites, conduct periodic 91

The Corinthian: The Journal of Student Research at GC&SU job fairs. Company representatives log on and converse with individuals who are interested in the participating companies (Curry 103).

7 The Corinthian: The Journal of Student Research at GC&SU job fairs. Company representatives log on and converse with individuals who are interested in the participating companies (Curry 103). This service allows recruiters to meet prospective employees without the problems associated with traditional fairs, such as the time and expense of traveling to and from fairs. New Recruiting Services Several new services are available to companies wishing to recruit online. Syndicated posting services allow a company to pay a single fee to post vacancies to a group of sites. Career Builder ( syndicates its listings onto a number of other sites and prepares activity reports for subscribing companies. These reports detail the number of hits and the number of resumes submitted for each listing (Cole-Gomolski 20). Another new service is being offered by Career Central ( This company, formerly known as MBA Central, links employers and job candidates. Applicants complete profiles detailing their credentials and the type of position they are seeking. Employers submit position vacancies, and Career Central reviews its database and requests that qualified candidates forward their resumes to the companies seeking employees. This service costs the subscribing companies $4,995 per search (Pepe 149). Summary The World Wide Web is an excellent source of employmentrelated information. Both job seekers and recruiters can use these online resources. The Web can help individuals locate position vacancies, learn more about the companies advertising these openings, and submit resumes to these organizations. Recruiters from these companies use Web-based recruiting because of the economic efficiency of this method. The Web links recruiters and applicants together easily and quickly. Resources are also available on the Web that enable employees to improve themselves professionally through the use of career management and networking sites. 92

Job Resources on the World Wide Web Bibliography Belfiglio, Jerry. "The Internet and your job search." Risk Management Jan. 1998: 12. Online. ABI Inform. 17 Oct. 1998 <http:// Cafasso, Rosemary.

8 Job Resources on the World Wide Web Bibliography Belfiglio, Jerry. "The Internet and your job search." Risk Management Jan. 1998: 12. Online. ABI Inform. 17 Oct < Cafasso, Rosemary. "Cybercruiting." Computerworld 21 Oct. 1996: Online. ABI Inform. 17 Oct < Cole-Gomolski, Barb. "Recruiters spread Web wings." Computerworld 25 May 1998: 20. Online. ABI Inform. 17 Oct < Curry, Jerome. "Tapping the Internet's job search resources." Business Communication Quarterly June 1998: I Online. ABI Inform. 17 Oct < peachnet.edu> Greengard, Samuel. "Hot recruiting sites." Workforce Aug. 1998: 74. Online. ABI Inform. 17 Oct < peachnet.edu> Laabs, Jennifer J. "Career help on the Internet." Workforce Mar. 1998: Online. ABI Inform. 17 Oct < "Launching your resume into cyberspace." Successful Meetings July 1998: Online. ABI Inform. 17 Oct < Martin, Justin. "Changing jobs? Try the Net." Fortune 2 Mar. 1998: Online. AB I Inform. 17 Oct < Pepe, Michele. "Job matchmaking: A cyber approach." Computer Reseller News 20 July 1998: 149. Online. ABI Inform. 17 Oct < Tapp, Shelley R. "The Monster Board." Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management Winter 1998: 66. Online. A~I Inform. 17 Oct < Turek, Norbert. "Job-hunting help online." Informationweek 14 Sept. 1998: Online. ABI Inform. 17 Oct < 93

Achieving Results With Internet Recruiting 1998 Survey

Achieving Results With Internet Recruiting 1998 Survey An Internet Intelligence Report by recruitsoft.com/ilogos Research Contacts for recruitsoft.com/ilogos Research: West Coast: Yves Lermusiaux (ylermusiaux@recruitsoft.com)